{"id":1733,"date":"2016-10-26T11:55:34","date_gmt":"2016-10-26T16:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/?page_id=1733"},"modified":"2020-09-25T09:06:32","modified_gmt":"2020-09-25T14:06:32","slug":"20150601_amerensummerpowerprices","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/20150601_amerensummerpowerprices\/","title":{"rendered":"CUB Alerts Central, Southern IL Consumers About June 1 Power Prices"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;CUB Alerts Central, Southern IL Consumers About June 1 Power Prices&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_column_text]<ul class=\"icon \"><li><i class=\"fa fa-caret-right\"><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/20150601_AmerenSummerPowerPrices.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>PDF version<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>of this release<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<strong>Contact:<\/strong><br \/>\nJim Chilsen, <strong><a href=\"mailto:chilsen@citizensutilityboard.org\">chilsen@citizensutilityboard.org<\/a><\/strong>, <strong>(312) 513-1784<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_column_text]<strong>CHICAGO, June 01, 2016<\/strong>\u2014The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) on Wednesday alerted consumers in Central and Southern Illinois about a decrease in Ameren Illinois\u2019 summer electricity supply\u00a0rates.<\/p>\n<p>As of June 1, Ameren\u2019s &#8220;price to compare&#8221;\u2014the rate customers compare to alternative supplier offers\u2014is roughly 4-5 percent lower than the June 2015 price. According to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), these are the new Ameren Illinois prices over the next\u00a0year:<\/p>\n<div class=\"callbox\">\n<p><strong>New Rates<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>June \u2013 September 2016<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p>Zones 1, 2, 3: 5.654 cents\/kilowatt-hour (kWh)*<\/p>\n<p><i><strong>Note<\/strong><b>:<\/b> This price includes Ameren&#8217;s supply rate (4.637 cents per kWh), plus a transmission services charge (0.911 cents per kWh), plus a Supply Cost Adjustment (0.106 cents per\u00a0kWh).<\/i><\/p>\n<p><strong>October 2016 &#8211; May 2017<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p>All Zones: 6.427 cents\/kWh for the first 800 kWh; 4.7 cents per kWh for usage over 800\u00a0kWh*<\/p>\n<p><i><strong>Note<\/strong><b>:<\/b> The non-summer rates, October 2016 through May 2017, have not been finalized. This figure is an ICC estimate of the\u00a0price.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ameren has estimated that customers on its supply rate who use about 10,000 kWh a year will save roughly $1.75 a month, or $21 over the next 12\u00a0months.<\/p>\n<p>Any consumer with an alternative power supplier\u2014including those on community power deals\u2014should compare his or her price to Ameren\u2019s supply rates above. CUB also has a free calculator, at <strong><span class=\"removed_link\" title=\"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/www.CUBPowerCalculator.com\">www.CUBPowerCalculator.com<\/span><\/strong>, to help consumers determine the best deal for\u00a0them.<\/p>\n<p>Last June, Ameren\u2019s prices shot up about 30 percent. The spike was due to an increase in capacity costs\u2014 what consumers pay to ensure power plants are able to deliver electricity on the highest-demand days of the year. Every spring, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)\u2014the power grid operator in Central and Southern Illinois and other states\u2014holds an auction to determine capacity costs for the next year (June 1 through May 31). In the 2015 auction, Illinois\u2019 capacity cost was roughly 50 times higher than 14 other states in MISO\u00a0territory.<\/p>\n<p>The increase generated questions, given that Illinois has a surplus of electricity. After calls from consumer advocates, including Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and CUB, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) made changes to the auction process that helped secure lower prices this\u00a0year.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re glad that Central and Southern Illinois consumers are paying slightly lower power prices this summer,&#8221; CUB Communications Director Jim Chilsen said. &#8220;We still have a long way to go to better protect Illinois consumers from price spikes in the electricity market, but this is a step in the right\u00a0direction.&#8221; CUB recommended the following efficiency tips to help keep summer power bills in\u00a0check.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1. Don\u2019t crank up the AC. Raising your thermostat by only two degrees and using a ceiling fan can lower air conditioning costs by up to 14 percent over the summer. Run fans counter-clockwise, from your position looking up at it, to create a gentle downdraft\u2014and make sure to turn off your fan when you leave the room. (Fans cool people, not\u00a0rooms.)<\/li>\n<li>2. Beat the heat. Delay heat-producing tasks, such as dishwashing, baking, or laundry, until the cooler evening hours or early\u00a0morning.<\/li>\n<li>3. Clean filters. Clean your air conditioning unit\u2019s filter at least once every three months. It\u2019s an easy way to improve the unit\u2019s performance and to save\u00a0energy.<\/li>\n<li>4. Give your AC a break. Prevent hot air from seeping in by sealing the gaps around windows and doors. Close doors to rooms that you don\u2019t use as often. Shut blinds or shades during the sunny daytime hours to prevent your air conditioner from working harder to cool the\u00a0home.<\/li>\n<li>5. Shut it off. It\u2019s a myth that if you go out for part of the day, you should keep the air conditioner running so it won\u2019t have to work so hard to cool you off when you get home. You will save energy by turning off the air conditioner when you leave the\u00a0house.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, the nonprofit utility watchdog group has saved consumers more than $20 billion by helping to block rate hikes and secure refunds. For more details, call CUB\u2019s Consumer Hotline, 1-800-669-5556, or visit CUB\u2019s award-winning website,\u00a0www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;CUB Alerts Central, Southern IL Consumers About June 1 Power Prices&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Contact: Jim Chilsen, chilsen@citizensutilityboard.org, (312) 513-1784[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_column_text]CHICAGO, June 01, 2016\u2014The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) on Wednesday alerted consumers in Central and Southern Illinois about a decrease in Ameren Illinois\u2019 summer electricity supply\u00a0rates. As of June 1, Ameren\u2019s &#8220;price to compare&#8221;\u2014the rate customers compare to alternative supplier offers\u2014is roughly 4-5 percent lower than the June 2015 price. According to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), these are the new Ameren Illinois prices over the next\u00a0year: New Rates June \u2013 September 2016: Zones 1, 2, 3: 5.654 cents\/kilowatt-hour (kWh)* Note: This price includes Ameren&#8217;s supply rate (4.637 cents per kWh), plus a transmission services charge (0.911 cents per kWh), plus a Supply Cost Adjustment (0.106 cents per\u00a0kWh). October 2016 &#8211; May 2017: All Zones: 6.427 cents\/kWh for the first 800 kWh; 4.7 cents per kWh for usage over 800\u00a0kWh* Note: The non-summer rates, October 2016 through May 2017, have not been finalized. This figure is an ICC estimate of the\u00a0price. Ameren has estimated that customers on its supply rate who use about 10,000 kWh a year will save roughly $1.75 a month, or $21 over the next 12\u00a0months. Any consumer with an alternative power supplier\u2014including those on community power deals\u2014should compare his or her price to Ameren\u2019s supply rates above. CUB also has a free calculator, at www.CUBPowerCalculator.com, to help consumers determine the best deal for\u00a0them. Last June, Ameren\u2019s prices shot up about 30 percent. The spike was due to an increase in capacity costs\u2014 what consumers pay to ensure power plants are able to deliver electricity on the highest-demand days of the year. Every spring, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)\u2014the power grid operator in Central and Southern Illinois and other states\u2014holds an auction to determine capacity costs for the next year (June 1 through May 31). In the 2015 auction, Illinois\u2019 capacity cost was roughly 50 times higher than 14 other states in MISO\u00a0territory. The increase generated questions, given that Illinois has a surplus of electricity. After calls from consumer advocates, including Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and CUB, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) made changes to the auction process that helped secure lower prices this\u00a0year. &#8220;We&#8217;re glad that Central and Southern Illinois consumers are paying slightly lower power prices this summer,&#8221; CUB Communications Director Jim Chilsen said. &#8220;We still have a long way to go to better protect Illinois consumers from price spikes in the electricity market, but this is a step in the right\u00a0direction.&#8221; CUB recommended the following efficiency tips to help keep summer power bills in\u00a0check. 1. Don\u2019t crank up the AC. Raising your thermostat by only two degrees and using a ceiling fan can lower air conditioning costs by up to 14 percent over the summer. Run fans counter-clockwise, from your position looking up at it, to create a gentle downdraft\u2014and make sure to turn off your fan when you leave the room. (Fans cool people, not\u00a0rooms.) 2. Beat the heat. Delay heat-producing tasks, such as dishwashing, baking, or laundry, until the cooler evening hours or early\u00a0morning. 3. Clean [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1733","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1733"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1733\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}